Alexei Ratmansky

The new ballet season at La Scala sees seven programmes, including three pieces being presented at the theatre for the first time, including a newly commissioned work.George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker will open the season on 16 December and it will be the first time that his version has been presented in Italy. A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Jewels are already in the … [Read more...] about La Scala Ballet Season 2018-2019 announced

Picture this. Turin. A balmy summer evening. To the left is piazza Castello with its impressive medieval castle. To the right, the Royal Palace, once home to the Kings of Savoy. Between the two, a stage ready to host the Cuban National Ballet. Storm clouds toy around the mountains in the distance, and as the evening opens, with a scene from the second act of Giselle, lightning … [Read more...] about Cuban National Ballet in Turin with refreshing musicality and flair

After 23 years with The Royal Ballet, last night Zenaida Yanowsky gave her final curtain call on the Covent Garden stage.Her final performance at the Royal Opera House was in Marguerite and Armand where she danced alongside Roberto Bolle. Her last performance with the Company, however, will be in Australia in July, performing Paulina in The Winter’s Tale at the Queensland … [Read more...] about Zenaida Yanowsky’s final curtain call

The Bolshoi have released their cinema screening programme for the next season. Four are live broadcasts and four have already been transmitted. This is the 5th year that the Bolshoi has been broadcasting to cinemas.The season's main event is the Russian premiere of Alexei Ratmansky's Romeo and Juliet. His Flames of Paris is also in the line-up.Repertoire pieces are Le … [Read more...] about Bolshoi Ballet in cinema 2017-2018

Graham Spicer

Writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name 'Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like.

I was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. My scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times. I write the 'Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times.